Chapter 51
Chapter Fifty-One
Emmet
One month later…
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Adam asks.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” I ask in return.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he says, running a hand through his hair.
He doesn’t look fine. He’s pale.
“You look like you’re about to pass out.”
Adam gives me a dirty look. “I’m fine.”
The balloons tied to the porch railing sway in the wind, a mix of green and blue—Ian’s favorite colors.
We’re still sitting in the car, and I’m waiting for Adam to make the first move to get out.
Or do something that tells me he wants to go inside.
I don’t understand what he’s so nervous about or why this is an issue for him, but he’s convinced he’s fine and he won’t tell me otherwise until he’s ready to.
I wouldn’t call it a flaw, but it’s certainly frustrating.
“No one’s even here yet,” I say.
“I know that.”
A few more minutes pass before he says, “Okay, let’s go.”
He opens the door and steps out, going to the trunk that he pops open. I get out and help him grab the gifts and a few more decorations. The cake is in the backseat but we will have to come back for that since our hands are full.
The front door is pulled open as we reach the top of the steps, and Adam stops short, causing me to bump into him.
“Hey, guys,” a man says. I assume it’s Chris, Leslie’s boyfriend. I’ve heard about him, but haven’t officially met him yet.
“Hi,” I say.
“Hey,” Adam mumbles, and then we head inside.
After we put everything down on the island in the kitchen, I tell Adam I’m going to get the cake from the car. When I get back inside, he’s moving the presents around, obviously trying to make himself look busy.
“Should I put this in the fridge?” I ask Chris, who is loading the dishwasher.
“Actually, we’re going to put it in the garage fridge. Just give me a sec.”
“I don’t mind bringing it,” I say.
“Yeah, the door’s difficult to open. I’ve been meaning to fix it, but haven’t gotten around to it yet.” Chris loads the last dish and closes the door, then presses start. “I’d hate for you to drop the cake or something.”
Adam is in his own world, ignoring everything going on around him. I follow Chris across the foyer, and he uses his shoulder to help push the door open.
“I guess that’s one way to child proof.”
He chuckles as he steps into the garage, moving to the back corner where the fridge is. He opens it, and I put the cake on the bottom shelf, the only one that has space for the cake. The other shelves are filled with aluminum tins.
“Leslie made a lot of food,” he says with a laugh.
“I can see that.”
“So, is he okay?” he asks, gesturing toward the house.
“Yeah, he’s just nervous about… you know.”
He nods. “Yeah, I get it. I remember the first time I told someone that I was into guys. It was scary.”
I raise a brow. “You’re…”
“Bi. Yeah. Leslie knows. She’s fine with it.”
“Oh, I wasn’t trying to say—”
“I know,” he says with a smile. “Just like to make it known. It makes me feel better.”
“Does Adam know?”
Chris laughs. “Nope. Can’t get him to have a conversation.”
“Sounds about right.”
We head inside, and I go back to the kitchen to help Adam with whatever he needs, while Chris goes in search for Leslie to see what she wants him to do.
“Are you going to make it?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’m just fixing this.”
“You’ve been shifting the gifts around for five minutes now.” He looks up at me with a frown. “I know you’re nervous about this, and it’s fine. Just try to relax. Have a beer.”
“I don’t know…”
I go to the fridge and grab us each a beer. “What?” I say when I see Adam staring at me in horror. “Chris said to grab a beer.”
“Oh, so you’re friends with him now?”
I roll my eyes and shove a beer at him. “You should be friends with him, Adam. I think you have more in common than you think.”
“What the hell does that mean?” he asks, popping his beer open.
“Talk to him and find out.” I take a long swig of my beer and grab the bag that holds all the decorations. “Come on. Let’s go figure out where these need to go.”
Once people start showing up, Adam relaxes.
Maybe it’s the couple beers he’s had or maybe it’s the distraction of people he hasn’t seen in a long time.
He told me that most of Leslie’s family liked him, and these are people he hasn’t seen in a few years.
The first few introductions of me as his boyfriend were uncomfortable, but the more people who accepted it and didn’t make a fuss, the easier it was for him.
Now, it seems almost natural for him. Honestly, I think this is exactly what he needed.
“I’ve never been to a little kid’s birthday party before,” I say when we get a moment to ourselves.
There are at least fifty people here, a mix of family and a few of the kids Ian’s friends with from day care.
The yard has decorations everywhere, a tent with tables and chairs underneath, and a long row of food that Leslie made all herself.
“Really?” Adam asks, taking a sip of his beer.
“Whose would I have gone to?”
He takes a moment to think about it, and then nods. “Good point.”
Ian runs over then, shouting, “Daddy!”
Adam hands me his beer and kneels down just in time for Ian to leap into his arms.
“Hey, buddy. Are you having fun?”
“Yes! It’s my birthday!”
“Well, it’s your birthday party. Your birthday is in two days.”
“No suh, daddy. It’s today. See, all these people.”
He just laughs, and agrees. “Yep, sure do, buddy.”
Ian wiggles to get out of his grip, then runs off toward the ring toss game that’s set up. Judy is over there playing with one of her cousins, and Ian runs in like a wrecking ball. Judy gets frustrated, so she and her cousin walk off, letting Ian stay and be destructive.
When it’s time to open gifts, we all gather around.
Judy grabs gifts and hands them to Ian, being the best helper.
He tears through the paper like Wolverine, making such a damn mess.
Leslie and Adam try catching the paper, but some of it floats away and other guests catch it.
The kids have fun trying to see who can get it faster.
I’m grateful the rain held off today, but that doesn’t last forever. When Ian is on his last gift, the drizzling starts.
“Well, it held out longer than I thought,” Leslie says with a laugh.
“Let me help you get this stuff inside,” I say, as I walk over to the food and start covering the tins.
Everyone, without direction, just starts helping, and soon enough everything is in the house safe. The clouds open up then, and it’s a downpour.
“I hate the rain,” Judy pouts.
“Welcome to Seattle,” I say with a laugh.
She walks off, and I stay a moment, looking out into the backyard. The games are still strewn about, and the tent and tables are still up, but they won’t be ruined in the rain.
“Hey,” Leslie says, moving to stand beside me. “Thanks for coming.”
“Thank you for allowing me to be here,” I say.
She smiles. “If Adam trusts you, then so do I.”
“Thank you,” I say again, turning my attention back to the window.
“I should also thank you for not giving up on him.”
I turn to face her once again. “He won’t open up to me about anything, but I know him well enough to know something went on, and it was because of him shutting you out.”
“That’s not entirely true.”
“Mostly true.”
“Okay, maybe.” She laughs. “It doesn’t really matter though.”
“It doesn’t, does it?” she asks.
And it doesn’t. Because we’re here now. He’s trying. And that’s all I’ve ever wanted from him.